Xeon E5-1603 v3 vs Xeon E5-2603 v4
Xeon E5-1603 v3
Xeon E5-2603 v4
Performance Spectrum - CPU
About PassMark
PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.
Value Upgrade Path
This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money. The Xeon E5-1603 v3 is positioned at rank 683 and the Xeon E5-2603 v4 is on rank 589, so the Xeon E5-2603 v4 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Xeon E5-1603 v3
Performance Per Dollar Xeon E5-2603 v4
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Xeon E5-1603 v3 | Xeon E5-2603 v4 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($40) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Haswell-EP (2014−2015) / 22 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Broadwell (2015−2019) / 14 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Xeon E5-1603 v3 | Xeon E5-2603 v4 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($40) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
Performance Check
To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.
Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Xeon E5-1603 v3 and Xeon E5-2603 v4
Xeon E5-1603 v3
The Xeon E5-1603 v3 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Haswell-EP (2014−2015) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 2.8 GHz. L3 cache: 10 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011-3. Thermal design power (TDP): 140 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-1333, DDR4-1600, DDR4-1866. Passmark benchmark score: 4,460 points. Launch price was $800.
Xeon E5-2603 v4
The Xeon E5-2603 v4 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 20 June 2016 (9 years ago). It is based on the Broadwell (2015−2019) architecture. It features 6 cores and 6 threads. Base frequency is 1.7 GHz, with boost up to 1.7 GHz. L3 cache: 15 MB. L2 cache: 1.5 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 85 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-1600, DDR4-1866. Passmark benchmark score: 4,517 points. Launch price was $213.
Processing Power
The Xeon E5-1603 v3 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Xeon E5-2603 v4 offers 6 cores / 6 threads — the Xeon E5-2603 v4 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.8 GHz on the Xeon E5-1603 v3 versus 1.7 GHz on the Xeon E5-2603 v4 — a 48.9% clock advantage for the Xeon E5-1603 v3 (base: 2.8 GHz vs 1.7 GHz). The Xeon E5-1603 v3 uses the Haswell-EP (2014−2015) architecture (22 nm), while the Xeon E5-2603 v4 uses Broadwell (2015−2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon E5-1603 v3 scores 4,460 against the Xeon E5-2603 v4's 4,517 — a 1.3% lead for the Xeon E5-2603 v4. L3 cache: 10 MB (total) on the Xeon E5-1603 v3 vs 15 MB on the Xeon E5-2603 v4.
| Feature | Xeon E5-1603 v3 | Xeon E5-2603 v4 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 4 | 6 / 6+50% |
| Boost Clock | 2.8 GHz+65% | 1.7 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2.8 GHz+65% | 1.7 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 10 MB (total) | 15 MB+50% |
| L2 Cache | 256K (per core) | 1.5 MB+500% |
| Process | 22 nm | 14 nm-36% |
| Architecture | Haswell-EP (2014−2015) | Broadwell (2015−2019) |
| PassMark | 4,460 | 4,517+1% |
Memory & Platform
The Xeon E5-1603 v3 uses the LGA2011-3 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon E5-2603 v4 uses LGA2011 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Xeon E5-1603 v3 | Xeon E5-2603 v4 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA2011-3 | LGA2011 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 3.0 |
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